He's played away one time too many: John Terry's wife walks out with the kids

01 February 2010 12:43

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John Terry is fighting for both his marriage and the England captaincy after a turbulent weekend of revelations about his affair with a team-mate's ex-partner.

The footballer's wife has fled their £4million home telling friends she would divorce him over his affair with lingerie model Vanessa Perroncel - her former close friend and neighbour.

And Terry, 29, was revealed to have arranged for his mistress to undergo an abortion after she became pregnant during their relationship.

John Terry's wife Toni (left) says she wants a divorce. Terry looked drawn during his match at Turf Moor Stadium in Burnley on Saturday (right)

There was a lack of public support for the Chelsea defender from the Football Association and senior figures in the footballing world, while Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said the affair 'called into question' his position as captain.

Terry's latest in a long list of infidelities was exposed on Friday when a High Court judge overturned an injunction forbidding publication of details of his philandering.

Football insiders said his behaviour had divided the England squad, with some arguing that he should be stripped of both the captaincy and his place in the national side.

Relief: John Terry scored Chelsea's winner against Burnley on Saturday

There is a strong belief among fans that he has caused irreparable damage to England's chances of success at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

As his 28-year-old wife Toni departed the family home in Surrey with their twin children, she told friends: 'He's humiliated me for ten years. But no more. This time I'm going to divorce him.'

Sources close to Terry said that he was continuing to deny to his wife that he had been unfaithful with Miss Perroncel.

Enlarge Preparing to break her silence: Vanessa Perroncel at the weekend

He started the affair after Bridge, who had lived on the same estate as the Terrys, signed for Manchester City and moved to a house in Cheshire leaving his partner and mother of their three-year-old son behind.

Miss Perroncel reportedly became pregnant within weeks and friends said the termination was arranged by Terry and took place at a private clinic under clandestine circumstances in October.

She arrived and left the clinic via a back door, while the operation was reportedly delayed so Terry could attend after a training session.

When Terry finally told his wife, she immediately rang her former best friend to confront her.

A friend said: 'It was a real shouting match between the two of them. They were both ranting and swearing down the phone. But Vanessa just denied there was an affair.'

Another source said that Toni told Vanessa: 'Call yourself a friend? What sort of friend sleeps with their mate's husband?'

The £170,000-a-week Chelsea star is worth an estimated £25million with lucrative marketing and media contracts.

With Toni entitled to half of his fortune, both now and in the future, it could be the biggest-ever divorce settlement in UK sport.

As further details of Terry's relationship with Miss Perroncel emerged, she spent two hours with publicist Max Clifford last night discussing how she might break her silence on the affair.

But the impact the scandal is having on the England squad was immediately apparent with reports that Bridge is understood to have told friends and family that he will not play for his country while Terry remains the captain.

Others of his team-mates have reacted with fury at Terry's behaviour, calling him 'scum' and describing his actions as 'immoral and unforgivable'.

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Another said he would find it impossible to share a dressing room with Terry, while yesterday several Manchester City players showed their support for their team-mate by revealing that they were wearing T-shirts bearing the words 'Team Bridge' under their shirts.

As England manager Fabio Capello was reported to want to 'draw a line' under the affair before the Euro 2012 qualifying draw in Warsaw next Sunday, a FA insider suggested he might completely jettison Terry.

Better times: Terry and Bridge share a joke on England duty

'The feeling is that Terry needs tobe removed completely from the England set-up - and that means as acaptain and a player,' he said. 'He may now have said goodbye to anychance of playing in the World Cup in the summer.'

TheDaily Mail has learned that one of Capello's backroom staff - fellowItalian Franco Baldini - has been asked to discuss the matter withboth Terry and Bridge.

SportsMinister Sutcliffe said: 'On the field John Terry is a fantasticplayer, but to be the captain of England you've got to have widerresponsibilities for the country and clearly if these allegations areproven then it does call into question his role as England captain.'